1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to pumps, and more particularly to a removable pump for a live well tank used in fishing vessels.
2. Description of Related Art
Commercial and recreational fishing boats typically include at least one on-board holding tank that stores bait or caught fish that need to be kept alive until the boat returns to shore. Pumps circulate water through these tanks in order to keep the bait and fish alive. The pump includes an intake pipe generally located below the boat's water line and a discharge pipe running to the tank. A drain tube discharges water overboard to maintain the proper water level in the tank. Conventional live well pumps are attached directly to the boat hull. The pump's intake pipe is inserted in a hole through the hull. The intake pipes are typically manufactured as part of a pump housing component in one integral piece.
The pumps circulate fresh and salt water and they often become clogged with debris and require cleaning. Furthermore, the individual pumps generally require repairs more frequently than the through-hull fitting. Because the intake pipe and pump housing are a single piece, removing the pump for cleaning or repair requires the removal of the intake pipe as well. When both the pump and intake pipes are removed, the hole formed in the boat hull is exposed. Therefore, the boat must be elevated, or removed from the water, or the hole in the boat hull itself must be plugged while the pump is serviced. Plugging the hole in the boat hull is difficult because this hole is often located low in the boat and out of the way, which limits its access and visibility. The prior art procedures for removing the pump are cumbersome and inefficient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,406 discloses a removable cartridge-type pump in which a motor connected to one part of the housing may be removed from another part of the housing. This pump arrangement uses a bayonet or screw connection as well as a locking sear to keep the two parts of the housing together. In order to remove the motor in one embodiment (FIG. 12), the operator must push down a leg 94 of the sear 91 and rotate the motor portion 15 of the pump before removing the motor. In another embodiment (FIGS. 13 and 14), the sear 105 is pulled outward and the motor portion 15 is rotated. In another embodiment (FIG. 15), because the motor portion 15 is formed with external threads which mate with threads 45 on the housing 12, the motor portion 15 must be rotated to be removed. These rotating movements are cumbersome, especially when coupled with moving the sears 91, 105. There is a need in the prior art for a simpler way to remove the motor and pump from a housing connected to the boat transom.